Latest Stories

The body’s immune system tends to grow weaker as people age. But as the aging population grows, something stands out. In some people, this aging seems accelerated. Why? A not-so-surprising difference that makes it hard for your immune system to do its job…

As the world’s population ages, dementia is on the rise. Researchers, feverishly hunting for anything that can stop this cognitive destroyer in its tracks, have found new evidence further indicating that preventing dementia could be as simple as correcting one key deficiency…

There are many instances where being tall may be considered an asset. Reaching the top shelf at the supermarket is just one. But you should know, being on the taller side is considered a non-modifiable risk factor for several health conditions you should watch for…

What if I told you that you could be unknowingly serving up a dangerous substance in your home every day that could poison your body, cause behavior and learning problems in your children and skyrocket your risk for heart disease? This is how it happens…

Age-related macular degeneration is a disease that progressively steals vision. There’s no cure, but the main treatment slows progression to avoid severe vision loss. And as effective as it was, researchers have kicked it up several notches with two new sight-saving ingredients…

There’s no doubt that coffee’s health benefits are backed by plenty of research. But the caveat has been to avoid the cream and sugar to reap them. Of course, you want the benefits — but you want to enjoy your coffee too. Here’s some good news on that front…

Exercise is so good for us experts tell us to do it whenever we have the time. But depending on what your goals are — less tummy fat versus more upper body strength or better blood pressure and cholesterol — your exercise timing makes a huge difference…

More Americans are diagnosed with skin cancer each year than for all other cancers combined. But skin cancer is still shrouded in mystery, misconceptions and doubt. Let’s take a look at the main types, how to identify them, what to expect and how to stay safe.

More than 37 million Americans now take medications for depression. And for far too long experts focused on chemical imbalances in the brain these drugs treat. But another imbalance is proving just as powerful at affecting your mood. And the medicine is much easier to swallow…

Specific limits on dietary cholesterol were lifted from the Dietary Guidelines for Americans back in 2015. But that move may have been too hasty. Turns out there’s an odd connection between dietary cholesterol and your susceptibility for viral infection…

As scientists will say, just because there seems to be a link doesn’t mean there is, especially without proof. But now, when it comes to diabetes and breast cancer, they’ve got the proof connecting cancer’s sweet tooth and a dangerous feedback loop…

Have you ever noticed something strange when you go to your doctor? No matter what your health problem, their answer is always in a pill. But physicians everywhere are being put on notice by one of their own — and she’s got a better prescription with lots of clout…

Aging is not automatically accompanied by hair loss. But there are lifestyle and other factors that could cause you to see more hair in your hairbrush than you’re used to. I was surprised to find that several of these may be behind my own hair loss.

I had a problem with constipation for years. Whatever the cause, going to the bathroom was my nemesis. I would go days without “going” and then when I did, the strain was awful. After many, MANY doctor’s visits, and getting no help, I decided there had to be a better way. And, I found it…

Atrial fibrillation can raise your risk of several heart and circulatory issues, including heart failure and stroke. But what’s been less clear is whether AF increases the risk of dementia not caused by stroke. So far, this is what they’ve found…

People with cancer are known to have a higher risk of dangerous blood clots known as venous thromboembolism or VTE. These clots are a leading cause of death in people with cancer. Because prostate cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in men, this is a risk they need to be aware of…

Inflammation is a huge factor when it comes to Alzheimer’s. It’s triggered by a build-up of proteins that kill your brain cells. And it may cause the build-up in the first place. One thing’s for sure, inflammation causes the disease to progress quickly and severely.

Type 2 diabetes doesn’t just spell problems for your blood sugar. It acts as a gateway disease in many respects. And while there have been concerns about its connection to cognitive decline for a while, you may be surprised to learn how much diabetes ages the brain…

When women undergo menopause, they experience a decline in estrogen that kicks off a host of unpleasant symptoms. But what has been less clear is estrogen’s specific role in heart disease risk, and how the “change” is connected to cholesterol, until now…

Most people that develop inflammatory bowel disease do so by the age of 30. But IBD is on the rise — and it’s targeting a vulnerable population: folks aged 60 and older. IBD is painful, difficult and debilitating. And if you’re a senior, the risks are even higher…

Gout has been established as a risk factor in certain cardiovascular conditions, including stroke and heart attack. But what about heart failure? Exploring a potential link between these two conditions may offer heart failure patients a new lifeline…

We’ve been warned to avoid eating much fish over concerns about mercury. But now, Canadian researchers say the chemical form of mercury consumed from a high fish diet is completely different from the form found in the brains of those who were poisoned by mercury. What gives?

Zinc is one of those nutrients you don’t hear a lot about. People are all over vitamin C, but zinc, an equally important nutrient for a strong immune system tends to take a back seat to all the hype. But supplementing can be tricky…

About 20 percent of people with high blood pressure are resistant to treatment, leaving them vulnerable to heart attack and stroke. Researchers trying to get to the bottom of why are onto something…

Remember how for years, doctors warned us not to eat eggs? They would raise our cholesterol, give us heart disease and leave us to die of a heart attack or stroke? Forget that old-school advice. The new-school lists three ways eggs do a heart good…

It’s no secret that the choices you make have a profound impact on your health. From protecting your heart to guarding against dementia and disability as you age, lifestyle modifications are taking center stage, and these four can add years to your life…

We all want to age like those people who get laugh lines, not wrinkles, hold on to their memories and become more vital as the years pass. But it doesn’t always go that way. There’s a way to measure your odds — just in time to do something about it.

A drink with dinner — no big deal. What about two or three beers? If you’ve had enough to drink that you get a hangover the next morning, you’re setting yourself up for a potentially fatal heart problem, even if you’ve never had heart issues before.

Women are at much higher risk of dementia than men, and declining estrogen may have something to do with it. But it gets more alarming: The earlier menopause happens, the higher that dementia risk goes. What can we do about that? You’d be surprised…

I’m not body-shaming. My concerns stem from knowing that certain kinds of fat and where it’s carried, like around the middle, can do real damage. But there’s another type of fat we never see that goes after the heart. Surprisingly, the leanest among us may be most at risk.

Without enough estrogen, cells known as osteoblasts aren’t able to make new bone tissue at the level necessary to keep your bones strong. But what you may not know though is that after menopause there’s something that can raise your chances of ending up with weak bones even more — diabetes.

You’ve probably heard about the dangers of metabolic syndrome. Low levels of HDL (“good” cholesterol), fat around the waistline, insulin resistance, hypertension and chronic inflammation are its hallmarks. But there’s a curious relationship between this stroke syndrome and migraines, too…

Protein powders aren’t always as healthy as they seem. In fact, new research shows that one popular protein powder ingredient could make you heavier, crankier and shorten your lifespan if you use it too much.

When I ask my patients what goal they have for their health, most say they want to feel — and look — better. People who feel better naturally look better. But are there foods you should be consuming to directly improve the appearance of your skin? The answer is… yes!

In the U.S. it’s not uncommon to find a medication you’ve been prescribed costs as much as a decent car payment. What’s crazy is that people in other areas of the world don’t pay even close to what we’re charged. So why are Americans charged more and how do our costs compare to the rest of the world?

About 41,400 women will die of breast cancer in the coming year. As the most commonly diagnosed cancer among American women, it’s no wonder research efforts are ongoing and intense. The possibility that dietary choices influence whether a woman will get breast cancer has been a large part of that research…

Consuming too many calories without enough nutrients is exactly why so many people end up with diabetes, cancer, heart disease and other health issues. But what about high-sugar beverages that do contain beneficial nutrients? Are they just as bad? Let’s see what the research found…

Perfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAs, are quickly becoming notoriously dangerous. One big reason is that unlike other chemicals, including PCBs, they don’t degrade. Another is they’re showing up in bloodwork, causing thyroid and fertility problems, liver disease, high cholesterol, cancer and more…

Fiber is one nutrient no one can afford to go without. Let’s look at the powerful health benefits of high fiber food and which ones you’ll want to be wary of, the difference in soluble and insoluble fiber, how much you need for disease-prevention and the best high-fiber foods to get the job done…

You’ve probably heard that corn causes inflammation, is hard to digest and is chock-full of GMOs. And there’s no denying that there are some downsides to corn. But here’s the thing… a new study shows that this colorful corn is an antioxidant powerhouse that fights disease…

The longer you live with diabetes and the less controlled your blood sugar, the higher your risk of heart problems. But researchers have found another way you can protect your heart from the damage caused by blood sugar problems, without any necessary changes in your medication or diet…

I don’t know about you, but I find it comforting to know that for pretty much any disease, I can reduce my risks using food instead of dangerous drugs. But there’s one vegetable that stands out as a potent weapon against disease. And new research confirms the power of this “little green tree” to fight cancer…

Seaweed is a staple “superfood” of Japanese cuisine. So, let’s take the mystery and confusion out of how to eat seaweed, and help you start getting these nutritional benefits. Here are four varieties that every Japanese cook keeps in their pantry.

There are a lot of factors that go into determining how long you might live, including genetics. But two large studies have found that the speed at which you put one foot in front of the other could either cut your life short — or boost it by about 15 years…

Managing type 2 diabetes isn’t easy. Lifestyle changes may not work for everyone, but neither do medications, like metformin. That’s where secondary meds come in. But a recent study shows that a new class of drugs has a disturbing (albeit rare) side effect… A higher risk of flesh-eating genital infections.

A prescription for better brain chemistry may have just been discovered in the produce aisle. It affects the brain chemical glutamate, which is known for its role in sending messages between brain cells and has been linked to depression and schizophrenia. 100 percent natural, too!

Smokers are a dying a breed. And I don’t mean literally (although, statistically smokers do die a lot sooner than non-smokers). I mean that fewer people are smoking today than ever. Yet there are still 40 million Americans who smoke. Go figure. If you’re having trouble kicking the habit, I bet you haven’t tried this…

With one in ten people already suffering from Alzheimer’s the statistics are already frightening. But, it might shock you to find out that if the problem wasn’t bad enough already, the drug companies have made it worse, at least for men who have been diagnosed with a certain cancer…

As you age, your blood vessels begin to stiffen. What you eat is a huge part of that unhealthy process. Two common additives hidden in your food could be making your arteries a heck of a lot harder.

If you suffer from pain that won’t go away, you’ve probably tried everything to get relief. If only you could trick your body into not feeling the pain, right? Well, a new “brain hack” holds bright promise for being able to distract our brains so completely that pain isn’t even an issue…

There’s a good argument that high blood pressure just might be optional. Turns out, for most of our evolution, humans ate diets containing less than a quarter teaspoon of salt a day, because we mostly ate plants. As a result, we evolved into salt-conserving machines. See the problem?

Nothing’s more devastating than getting diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease. Your doctor can’t offer much help. And you know it’s only a matter of time before you lose your memory and independence. But do you know what else stinks pretty bad? Getting incorrectly diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease.

At first glance, walking and hiking may not seem that different. But the benefits of hiking are indeed measurably different from the benefits of a stroll around the block. Walking on flat terrain allows the body to just keep going without a lot of effort. But whichever you choose, there are benefits you can’t pass up…

Study after study has shown unequivocally that sitting too much is bad for our health. In fact, a sedentary lifestyle has been linked to everything from obesity and diabetes to heart disease and cancer. So, have all these warnings done what they’re meant to do? By that I mean, are people (you, too!) sitting less knowing the dangerous implications?

If you’re not one to pay for expensive hair restoration treatments such as platelet rich plasma, low level laser light therapy, or hair transplant surgery, consider these remedies made using natural products right at home…

There are things about your body that feel like they’re out of your control… Like how fast your heart beats or how cold you feel when you jump into an icy lake. But amazing individuals have demonstrated that you can control bodily processes that appear to operate on autopilot. Case in point?

I’m closer to 63 than I am to 62. And believe me when I tell you, I’m not a lover of exercise. But I may make an exception for one kind. Why? Besides benefitting my muscles, it can affect the holes, or lesions, that develop in your brain’s white matter as a part of aging…

High blood pressure is a tricky condition. After all, it’s known as the silent killer for good reason. You can easily have dangerously elevated pressure and not even know it until it’s too late. And, once you’re diagnosed, getting it under control is no picnic either.

You’ve probably heard that drinking cranberry juice can help prevent urinary tract infections. But, clinical trials of this popular remedy have produced mixed results. A new study has dug deeper though, and it looks like the debate over whether the red fruit really works to prevent UTIs is over…

Being able to control the thoughts that go through your mind from moment to moment can be hard. You’re trying to concentrate but you can’t stop thinking about everything else but what you need to focus on. Here are some scientific tricks that work… including boosting an effective neurotransmitter.